Byline: Jean Torkelson
Today the Dalai Lama, exiled spiritual leader of Tibet, launches a weekend visit to Colorado.
For his hosts, the visit may be less hectic than the preparation.
``It's been like false labor,'' laughs Naropa Institute publicist Lisa Trank, referring to the past few weeks. ``Like the entire place is giving birth.''
Then there's this problem: How do you entertain one of the world's great spiritual leaders on a Friday night in Denver?
Apparently, you don't.
``He's a monk, you know?'' laughs Dawn Engel, of Colorado Friends of Tibet, which is sponsoring the Dalai Lama's visit. ``Lunch is his big meal of the day. His entourage takes care of whatever he needs.
``One of the reasons he's so much farther along the spiritual path than either you or I is that he gets up at 4 a.m. every day to meditate.''
He's also in bed by 8 p.m.
Procrastinators may still be able to get a ticket to the Dalai Lama's Sunday night appearance at McNichols Arena. Contact King Soopers.
And for stay-at-homes: The Internet is carrying Naropa's 5-day Spirituality in Education Conference, including the Buddhist leader's participation.
Two addresses to get you there: http: / / www.csf.colorado.edu / sine and www.naropa.edu.
Among the dignitaries scheduled to meet the Dalai Lama is Muhamed Jodeh, leader of Colorado's 20,000 Muslims.
Sunday, Jodeh has his own party to throw.
The public is invited to the second annual open house at the Islamic Center, 2071 S. Parker Road. The celebration, which begins at 10 a.m., will include a groundbreaking for a multipurpose community hall and school. The $1 million project will be completed by December.
The idea for the open house came about during a low period for ColoradoMuslims. In 1996, two local radio pranksters muscled their way into the Denver mosque and made a mockery of the prayer service.
Later, as state officials met with Muslim leaders to discuss the outrage, the talk turned to how the religious community might make itself better known.
As Jodeh recalls it, ``Somebody said, `Why don't you guys make an open house and present yourselves to the public?' ''
There will be refreshments from around the Muslim world, a cultural show and at least two special guests: Denver Mayor Wellington Webb and the Egyptian ambassador. (Dress in anything but shorts.)
For information, call 696-9800 or 756-0780.
Sunday marks a rare event at Trinity United Methodist Church - the pastor's first sermon.
Rev. Darrell Mount is Trinity's first new leader since Rev. Jim Barnes arrived 17 years ago.
The former Air Force captain and chemical engineer launches his tenure with a sermon titled ``Pursued by a Good and Loving God,'' based on Psalm 23.
Mount will preach at 11 a.m., the only service of the day. (There's usually an 8:15 a.m. service, too.)
Everybody's invited to a catered lunch afterward, including church-shoppers who just dropped in. The cost is $6 per adult, free for children.
As readers of Friday's op-ed page know, Dick Ling claims I ``twisted his comments'' in this space two weeks ago.
His ire surprises me, since over a friendly lunch we had already agreed to disagree.
I bet Ling, a former archdiocesan priest, that his concept of a ``corporate Christ'' wasn't consistent with the Catholic catechism - not to mention the Christian creed.
Both assert that Jesus ``rose from the dead and sits at the right hand of the Father.''
Ling believes Jesus did his part in history, then faded into the background, just as our own babyhood fades away in deference to the adult.
In Ling's credo, the important thing is ``the corporate Christ'' composed of all believers.
As far as twisting goes, I can't imagine how, since Ling agrees I am quoting him accurately: ``Jesus is dead''; ``Christ isn't a he, he's a we''; ``Jesus is not my personal savior''; and ``People who believe in the physical resurrection are wrong.''
Ling, who distributes religious materials and sermons to 600 Catholic parishes and several Protestant congregations, explains: ``My pastoral approach is to gradually wean people away from the individual (of Jesus) to the corporate reality.''
People can decide for themselves what Ling means.
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